Australian striker Jason Cummings has revealed background from the opening match of the World Cup concerning Olivier Giroud and an attempt to swap shirts.
The two countries faced off at the 2022 World Cup in Group D and Australia actually took the lead in the game before France stormed back for a convincing win. In the end both teams made it to the Round of 16, with France making it all the way to the final but losing to Argentina, who knocked the Socceroos out.
Despite the comfortable victory, two France stars were not keen on swapping shirts after the final whistle as Cummings revealed. The former Hibernian striker came on in the second half, but was unable to secure the shirt swap he really wanted.
“After the France game, I actually tried to get Mbappe – forget Giroud, I went for the top boy Mbappe – and he told me to meet him in the changing rooms,” Cummings said (via TalkSport).
“So I went to the changing room and the kit man was there and I gave him my top and 10 minutes later he came out with my jersey and says ‘Nah, absolutely not, [Mbappe] doesn’t want to swap’.
“So when I was walking back to my changing room and I’ve seen Giroud and I’m walking, as handsome as ever, and I asked him, ‘Giroud, please man, can I get your shirt man? I’m a big fan, can I get your shirt?’
“And he just walked past me, pretended he never spoke English! And he’s been in the Premier League for 10 years! He just walked right past me! Luckily, Jules Kounde himself was around: he’s a good guy!”
Am a big fan, but I ask first another player for his shirt? Logical. Poor dude.